§ Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the Transport and General Workers Union regarding claims of ill-health resulting from working in the atomic energy field.
§ Mr. PrenticeI am unaware of any such representations.
§ Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the present methods of examining claims for compensation for contraction of leukaemia stated to be arising from employment in the atomic energy field; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PrenticeI am satisfied with the working of the present methods of dealing with such claims, but, if the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, I will be pleased to look into it.
§ Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give figures of claims for compensation from 592W his Department arising from contraction of ailments or diseases claimed to arise out of employment in the atomic energy field over the last measurable two years.
§ Mr. PrenticeDisease number 25 in the schedule of diseases prescribed for industrial injuries purposes covers conditions due to exposure at work to electromagnetic radiation (other than radiant heat) or to ionizing particles. During the two years beginning 1 June 1976, three successful claims for industrial injury benefit and disablement benefit were recorded in respect of PD 25, of which one related to employment in the atomic energy field.
§ Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to introduce legislation to provide that if leukaemia is suffered by a worker in the atomic energy field, it is automatically deemed to be suffered as a result of his employment.
§ Mr. PrenticeThere is nothing I can usefully add to my reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 20 February.—[Vol. 979 c.232–3]